PRESS RELEASE La Rochelle, January 22, 2015
SCIENCE AT THE SERVICE OF DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS
Nutrition has been clearly proven to play a role in preventing numerous diseases. Several learned societies, including the European Society of Cardiology, have issued recommendations substantiating the benefits of using nutraceuticals (dietary supplements or ingredients) to prevent certain cardiovascular diseases.
However, lack of scientific and clinical evidences is still limiting their use as credible means of prevention.
Dietary supplements in figures:
• 4% of the global processed-food market
• World market = €60 billion (source: ACTIF’S, June 2014) • French market = €1.2 billion (source: ACTIF’S, June 2014) 1 • 350 new products released in France each year • 6,000 different dietary supplements in France • Only 1 proprietary health claim approved by EFSA for a dietary supplement • 6% growth (source: ACTIF’S, June 2014)
NEW EUROPEAN REGULATIONS
A health claim is defined by the European Commission as “any claim that states, suggests or implies that a relationship exists between a food category, a food or one of its constituents and health.” A “proprietary” claim relates directly to the product and its brand.
Since 2006, in Europe, regulation related to health claims (Regulation (EC) n°1924/2006) requires the scientific justification of health claims made on foods. Its objective is to protect consumers.
(In the framework of this regulation, the European Commission published, in May 2012, the list of authorised health claims).
The use of health claims on a finish product (health food or dietary supplement) must be authorized by the EFSA'experts, based on clinical scientific data demonstrating the efficacy of the product.
Nutraceutical development, production and marketing standards are becoming increasingly strict, notably to better manage “abusive and even misleading” health claims denounced regularly by consumer associations.
(see Que Choisir article: www.quechoisir.org/extsearch/search?KEYWORDS=alicaments).
Changes in European regulations represent both a challenge and an opportunity for not only manufacturers doing business in the food and pharmaceutical industries but also dietary supplement specialists, which alone represent a global market value of more than €60 billion. (1)Source: planetoscope.com
VALBIOTIS, PAVING THE WAY FOR NUTRACEUTICALS
VALBIOTIS is on a mission to become a global and recognized benchmark.
Three products are already under development:
• A dietary supplement effective in preventing type 2 diabetes • A solution for regulating postprandial glucose (blood sugar levels after meals) • A product for controlling blood cholesterol levels
VALBIOTIS also assists manufacturers through partnerships developed under nutraceutical co-development projects.
A proven ability to create innovative, effective and safe products (dietary supplements and food ingredients) benefiting from propriety health claims is shaping the company’s future as a nutraceutical industry leader.
VALBIOTIS’ innovations, created from natural actives, meet the highest international scientific, clinical and regulatory standards.
They fully satisfy the safety and efficacy needs of both customers and international authorities and are created as far as possible using environmentally-friendly processes.
VALBIOTIS research received its first round of funding in November 2014.
RELEVANT, HIGH-QUALITY PARTNERSHIPS
A strong first fundraising round at the company’s inception. VALBIOTIS has received joint financial support from Sofimac Partners (FCPI Emergence innovation 1), Poitou-Charentes Innovation and French public investment bank Bpifrance representing an initial investment tranche of €1.3 million.
This has enabled VALBIOTIS to:
• Strengthen its financial structure, team and organization • Accelerate and complete research and development already underway on means of preventing cardiometabolic diseases, including type 2 diabetes which affects 371 million diabetics worldwide (source: International Diabetes Federation, Atlas 2012)
VALBIOTIS has also signed an exclusive, global option for using a patent for an application aimed at maintaining normal blood sugar levels in partnership with SATT Grand Centre.
This patent, co-owned by the University of La Rochelle and Blaise Pascal University in Clermont-Ferrand, has received gestation funding in excess of €500,000 financed by SATT Grand Centre.
A COMPLEMENTARY, EXPERIENCED MANAGEMENT TEAM
Sébastien PELTIER President, PhD, HDR (authorized to supervise research), Scientific Director
« VALBIOTIS will leverage this first fundraising round to create added value. We are delighted because our preclinical phase results meet, and even surpass, our expectations. We have also met our development plan deadlines. »
Sébastien holds a PhD in Health from the Joseph Fourier University in Grenoble and specializes in cardiometabolic disorders. He has received accreditation to conduct sports science research (Blaise Pascal University, Clermont-Ferrand).
He is an expert in weight management, sports nutrition and the prevention of cardiometabolic disease through nutrition. He has formed international scientific partnerships in the food and pharmaceutical industries, and is the only person to date to have obtained EFSA approval for a dietary supplement propriety claim involving reduction of a disease risk factor. He is the author of 32 publications and scientific papers and has filed several patents.
Philippe CHARIER, MG, Directeur of Development
« All indicators point to high expectations on the part of manufacturers, health professionals and consumers for more science and solid evidence of efficacy. It is a virtuous approach that will help establish nutraceuticals’ unique positioning as a means of preventing cardiometabolic diseases. »
Philippe is a graduate of UPMC Paris VI and holds degrees in Molecular Biology and Industrial Higher Education. He has a wealth of experience of the diagnostics and pharmaceuticals markets and has studied use of nutraceuticals in disease prevention in both human and veterinary medicine for some 15 years. He has managed marketing and sales teams comprising dozens of employees and successfully launched numerous innovative nutraceuticals.
Jocelyn PINEAU, MG, Administration and Finance Director
« Thanks to investments from our two partners, SOFIMAC and PCI, and Bpifrance’s commitment, VALBIOTIS has been able to consolidate its financial, administrative and organizational structure. The sheer importance of this 1st fundraising round is a good sign of VALBIOTIS’ value-creation potential. »
Jocelyn has over 10 years’ experience of nutraceuticals. He has brought VALBIOTIS his administrative and financial expertise and knowledge of upstream (sourcing) and downstream markets. A graduate of the Paris Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers (National Conservatory of Arts and Crafts) and with a DESS postgraduate diploma in European Economic Relations from the University of Franche- Comté, Jocelyn has overseen the organization and logistics of many large-scale projects, contributing to the strong growth of the other companies he has worked for.
Pour plus d’informations www.valbiotis.fr
Contact presse : HL Conseil – Raphaëlle Genin- 01 46 24 33 30 – [email protected]